The Ones You Love Mean More Than Anything
by RedrumSprinkles
Summary: It is the End Times. Humanity's destruction at the hands of the Angels is nigh, and thrust into the crucible of this apocalyptic conflict is a lost Huntress - the prodigious Ruby Rose. Enemies are made, friendships forged, and in the dusk of a dying world - a savior rises.
1. Blood That's Red Like Roses

**A/N: Woah, what's this? A RWBYxEvangelion crossover? Where'd this come from? Well I don't know either. It just kind of popped into my head and here it is. It won't be updated frequently, but I probably won't drop it completely, even though I am also working on my other RWBY crossover - "A World of Bloody Evolution". Anyway, this story will start out pretty much identical to the original plot of Evangelion, but will be taking significant twists and turns as the story develops. New characters, organizations, and plot elements will be present here that were absent or only lightly touched upon in the original series. This is all in the interest of keeping things fresh, as a 1-to-1 copy of the original show with Ruby thrown in would be boring and predictable. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: This is only happening once, 'cause I obviously don't own either universe. I don't own either universe. So there.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Blood That's Red Like Roses<strong>

Darkness. Consuming her, swallowing her. Pitch-black like grimm fur, and more chilling than the night of a new moon. She couldn't remember how she had arrived at this nexus of nothingness, this pit of emptiness. In her mind, flashes of vibrant color whirled and danced.

White, pure as driven snow and just as cold.

Yellow, bright as the sun and twice as bold.

Red, the color of blood and roses.

They meant something to her. She was certain. As certain as there was no earth beneath her feet, nor stars above her head.

"Hello?" She cried out, desperate to make sense of her surroundings. Her voice made no noise, observed by no one. Curling up into herself, she wrapped her arms around her knees. It was scary here. The familiar weight on her hip was gone, the nothingness overwhelming.

A voice, soft and ethereal.

"Ruby." It whispered.

And suddenly, the blackness was gone.

In its place was warmth, comforting and complete. The smell of strawberries and roses came too, familiar and sweet. There was no questioning it.

"_Mother_." Ruby whispered. And as if she uttered a spell, she appeared. Clad in gossamer robes of silver and burgundy, Summer Rose descended from a shining gap in the blackness. A Valkyrie of sorts.

Pale as moonlight, a hand emerged and caressed her face. Gentle, soft.

"Mother, why did you leave us?" Ruby managed, tears filling her eyes. Summer Rose did not answer. Her features were warped by sadness, twisted in grief. A single drop of salt ran its way down her face as she caressed her only daughter.

"Mom, I don't understand! Where am I? What's going on?!"

"I'm so proud of you, child." She whispered, withdrawing from Ruby.

Summer's gown began to melt, running red down her pale form.

"MOM! WAIT!"

Then, she fell, fell through the blackness. Her mother soared above her, reaching out in benediction.

The darkness faded away, replaced by a crimson sky and brilliant stars. Sand filled in her fingers, fine and soft.

She sat up. She was on a beach.

Giant forms impaled on crosses stood in the bay, dwarfed by an enormous head, decomposing into a crimson sea. Its hair, blue and stringy, fell about its face, covering empty eye sockets and a wide, toothy grin. Flesh dripped off it, splashing into the sea of blood.

Ruby screamed.

* * *

><p>Cicadas roared, their shrill song long and loud.<p>

"GAH!" Ruby jerked awake, rubbing at her eyes. Yawning, she stretched her arms. "Well that was weird. Good nap though." Then, she opened her eyes.

And realized she'd been sleeping outside. In the middle of a city. It was overgrown and abandoned, but a city nonetheless. Instantly alert, she darted around, desperate for information.

_Where am I? How did I get here? _It didn't look like any city from Vale… the buildings were too blocky, and debris was strewn everywhere. And everything was covered in green, the growth of flora profuse and wild. She had just been with team RWBY, about to head out for a big mission.

Besides that, the only thing she remembered was a bit of her dream, faint and thin like a spider-web. Her mother was there, of that she was certain.

It had been years since she dreamed of Mother.

No matter. What mattered was that she alone, in potentially grimm-infested territory, _without Crescent Rose_.

A voice, distorted and masculine, echoed throughout the empty streets.

"May I have your attention. As of 12:30 PM today, a special state of emergency has been declared for the Kanto and Chuba regions surrounding the Tokai district. All residents must evacuate to their designated shelters immediately. Repeat." The message repeated, only serving to make Ruby even more confused. Where were the Kanto and Chuba regions? What was a Tokai district?

_It's probably here._ She thought to herself, looking around. She walked through the streets, red and black combat boots crunching softly against the asphalt. Besides the song of the cicadas and the emergency warning, the city was utterly empty. It was eerie. Reminded her of Mountain Glen.

Abandoned buses and cars littered the streets, discarded and rusting metal baking in the summer sun.

_I have to find an airship, or a weapon, or… something. I need to get back to Beacon._ She thought, glancing around the city. Each corner could mean grimm, or worse. _I can't let the others worry. I have to get back to Beacon_. She walked across a street, and found something.

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

Shinji sighed.

"Guess I better find a shelter." He said, looking up from his watch. In the crosswalk was a girl, no older than himself. A flurry of birds left their roost, wings fluttering their wings to fly free into the air. Shinji rubbed his eyes, and looked for the girl. She was still there, a figure from fairy tale. A hooded crimson cape fluttered about her shoulders, a black corset wrapped tight about her.

But her hair was the strangest thing about her. It reached her shoulders, the fringes tinged in a deep, sanguine red.

Shinji's first reaction was to gape.

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

_Finally! Someone who can help me!_ Ruby thought, running up to the boy.

"Er… Hello!" She said, waving. _Curse my social skills_! She thought. The boy had a bemused look on his face. He looked just as lost as she did.

"Uh… hi." He replied.

"Um… please don't think I'm crazy, but I just woke up over there," she pointed at the street, "and I have no idea where I am. Can you help me?"

"I… don't…uh… is this you?" He produced a photograph of woman in a yellow tank top, winking brazenly.

"No. No it is not." Little symbols etched in red surrounded the picture. For some reason, Ruby knew exactly what they said, even though she had never seen them before in her life. 'P.S., look at these!', they said, an arrow pointed to the… hm.

Whoever this woman was, she reminded her of Yang.

An explosion rattled the city, shaking the buildings to their core.

"What was that?" Ruby asked. The boy did not respond, instead covering his ears tightly and closing his eyes. Ah, so he was a civilian. Not everyone was attuned to the dangers of Huntress life, and this boy was a prime example of someone who was fortunate to live such a sheltered life. Ruby took a deep breath. This was her duty.

"Don't worry, citizen!" She said, taking his hands away from his ears. "I'm here to protect you!" The boy looked at her in utter confusion. Then, his eyes went wide. "What's wrong?" He pointed.

A creature emerged from behind a mountain, flanked by fliers. It was colossal, even larger than a Goliath, towering over the skyscrapers that surrounded it. It was the largest grimm she had ever seen. Each lumbering step it took shook the earth to the core. Its face was a blank, porcelain mask.

They gaped at it.

The fliers opened up, shelling the beast with explosive rounds. It ignored the damage, wiping them out of the air like a human swatted flies. Missiles crashed into it, each bursting apart in a dazzling burst of fire. None of them had any affect.

"What… is that thing?" The boy asked, terrified.

"Grimm. The largest I've ever seen. We have to get out of here!" She took the boy's arm and started to flee before a flier crashed before them, erupting into an inferno. Ruby dove to the ground, shielding the boy with her body. She would not fail in her duties.

The grimm soared into the air, and crashed to the road, nearly flattening them with its enormous feet. The impact threw them into the air, and they tumbled down onto the street, screaming and hurting.

A car screeched to a halt before them. The driver (the woman from the photograph) pushed the car door open.

"Get in!" She screamed. Ruby would have been faster if she ran, but she needed to make sure the citizens were ok. She threw the boy into the car and jumped in herself. Debris from the battle rained on them, rattling against the roof like oversized hail.

The car peeled away, racing down the street and away from the colossal Grimm. Ruby sighed in relief. That was close. The woman driving the vehicle gripped the wheel in a death grip, knuckles white from the strain. She took each corner as fast as she could, hell-bent on fleeing the city.

No one spoke, everyone breathing hard from their narrow escape.

The woman stopped the car, before looking out over the city with a pair of binoculars. Ruby looked to the boy beside her, who was clutching his bag in terror. Poor kid.

"Oh no, they're going to use an N2 mine! GET DOWN!" The woman cried, pushing their heads into the leather seats. Ruby didn't know what to make of the situation. She didn't know why this woman was protecting them, or what an N2 mine was.

She found out.

A giant bomb went off, a towering mushroom cloud appearing over the city they had just escaped. Wind blasted the vehicle, turning it over and over. They screamed, tumbling and rolling from the sheer force.

The car came to a rest.

_Gotta make sure they're ok_. She thought, crawling out from underneath the car. The boy was curled up and shivering. Ruby ripped the door open and hauled him out.

"T-thanks." He said, clearly shaken.

Turning to the woman, she realized she had already managed to escape.  
>"Are you kids alright?" The woman asked. The boy coughed.<p>

"My mouth is full of dirt." He said.

"I'm fine, ma'am." Ruby said.

"Good. Help me turn this rust bucket over. On three!" She backed against the car, bracing herself against the chassis and inviting them to do the same. They complied, heaving and straining before the car settled onto its wheels.

"Thanks guys. You're pretty useful." She said, smiling.

"Um… my name is Shinji Ikari, although I'm sure you know that. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Katsuragi" The boy (Shinji), said.

"Just Misato is fine." She turned to Ruby.

"I didn't know Shinji was bringing company."

"Um… he wasn't… I just kinda appeared there. In the city." She pointed at it. "The one that blew up. I'm Ruby by the way. Ruby Rose." She stuck her hand out. "It's nice to meet you guys." Misato shook her hand, the ghost of a smile on her face.

"And uh… Shinji." She awkwardly repeated the gesture to the boy, who took it with equal trepidation. He reminded her of Juane.

"So can you tell me what's going on? I had a weird dream I think and then I woke up in the middle of that city and I found Shinji and that grimm appeared, and everything started exploding-"

"Easy, easy!" Misato said, opening the driver side door. "Take a breath, kid!" Ruby huffed.

"I'm not a kid." She mumbled. How rude! She was eighteen now and – hold up. Her hands were smaller then she remembered. And that scar on her wrist that she had gotten when she was seventeen was… absent. _No way. This is too weird._

"Well, you're not safe out here, and Shinji has an appointment to keep. Oh, Ritsu is going to give me so much grief for bringing in an outsider. So go on. Get in." She gestured to the car. Ruby obeyed, following Shinji into the heavily damaged vehicle.

"You'll both have answers soon enough. Give me a second, I gotta make a call." She started the car up, dialing a number on her scroll at the same time.

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

Misato didn't know what to make of the girl. She had orders to bring Shinji in alive and unharmed, but had no idea who this mystery girl was, or why she was with him. In fact, bringing her along to NERV headquarters was a huge security risk.

Were she heartless, she'd abandon the girl and leave her to her fate, like the higher-ups at NERV would undoubtedly want. And if she was as truly lost as she said, she needed help.

Shigeru answered the phone.

"Ms. Katusragi?"

"Yeah, we were delayed. Nice N2 strike by the way, you almost fried us."

"Those U.N. Types ordered it. You know how they can be. What's the status of the third child?"

"Don't worry he's safe. And he brought a friend along." The line went silent for a time.

"Gendo won't like this."

"I know. Can you get a car train ready for us? We'll be there in a bit."

"I will. See you in a bit."

"See ya." She hung up the phone. The kids in the backseat were silent, each looking out the window at the landscape as it rushed by.

"You kids must have a lot of questions, huh?" Misato asked, trying her best to sound cheery.

"Not really." Shinji said, not looking away from his window.

"Ooh, ooh! Me! Pick me! I have a question!" Ruby asked, hand raised.

"Alright Ruby, what's your question?"

"Where are we? This doesn't look like any terrain from Vale…"

"Vale?"

"And what's with that giant grimm? I've never seen one that big before!" Alarm bells went off in Misato's mind. This Ruby person had seen an angel before? What did she call them? Grim? An Angel appearing certainly was grim… but… hm. What exactly did this girl know? She couldn't be… no… she couldn't! _Two at once?_

Tendrils of fear worked their way down her spine. She did her best to be genial, but there was something seriously off about this girl.

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

"Vale? What is Vale, sweetie?" She asked.

"You know, Vale. One of the four kingdoms… one of the only places safe from grimm… How do you not know this?" Ruby was dumfounded at the woman's lack of knowledge.

"Sorry Ruby, I don't know what Vale is… but this is Tokyo-3. You're in Japan."

"Tokyo-what now? Isn't that a town in Mistral?" Silence.

"Um… no… I don't know what Mistral is."

"And what did you call that huge thing earlier?" Shinji asked.

"It's a grimm…" Nothing. "You know… the soulless husks that prey on humans and faunus?" Shinji blinked. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"No. You're a mystery, Ruby." Shinji said. "And what's with your clothes? How'd they get torn?"

"What? My huntress outfit? What's wrong with it?" She looked down, and sure enough, there was a gash in her stomach, the torn black threads covering a pale white scar. _Well __**that's**__ different_. Ruby thought, bewildered.

"What's a huntress outfit?" Misato asked, curious.

"Come on, guys, I'm the one with the questions here!" Ruby replied. "I'm lost and confused and I don't know what's going on, and I don't have my weapon!"

"Your… weapon?" Shinji asked. Misato swerved the car, jostling them.

"Uh… sorry about that." Misato's knuckles were white again.

"Yeah. Crescent Rose. It's a high impact sniper rifle that turns into scythe. Made it myself, you know." Misato scoffed from the driver's seat.

"That sounds highly impractical." She replied. Shinji continued to look confused. Ruby crossed her arms, indignant.

"Hey, don't talk bad about Crescent Rose! She's my baby!" She said.

In the distance, giant mirrors protruded from the earth, towering over the mountains that surrounded them.

"We're here." Misato said, pulling into a tunnel. The lights went off, swallowing them in darkness. Red emergency lights flashed on, and a metal door slid open. Now on some sort of railing system, Misato disengaged the engine, and the car jerked forward. The symbol on the doors drew Ruby's attention.

It was a maple leaf, covering the word 'NERV'. Around it, the words "God is in his Heaven, All is right with the World" were emblazoned boldly. It made Ruby shiver. The message seemed ominous.

"You got your I.D., Shinji?" Misato asked.

"Uh… yeah." He handed her the paper that had been torn and crumpled, taped and trampled on.

"What about me? I'm not going to get in trouble if I don't have one, will I?"

"Don't worry." Misato said, smiling. "We'll get you sorted out." She looked down at the paper Shinji had given her.

"Are we going to see my father?" Shinji asked.

"Of course!" Misato replied, handing him his I.D. back. Shinji looked down at it, a frown growing on his face.

"You don't get along with your dad that well, do you?" Ruby asked.

"I'm only here because he wants me for something." Shinji said. It wasn't a direct answer, but it answered her question all the same. _Awfully pouty for a teenage boy_, Ruby thought.

"I don't get along too well with my dad either. When he's around to interact with." Ruby said.

"Three peas in a pod." Misato said, smiling. "You two sound just like me." She sounded relieved, but Ruby couldn't guess why.

Then, the tunnel expanded before them, causing Shinji and Ruby's mouths to drop open in wonder. Golden light filled a subterranean cavern, spilling over the city that hung from the ceiling. The sun reflected off the lake and hills below, resplendent in green grass and sparkling water.

"Woah… awesome!" Shinji and Ruby said at once.

"NERV HQ is right down there." Misato said, gesturing at the onyx pyramid at the center of the massive space. "Welcome to the Geofront. This city is the key to rebuilding our world." Ruby couldn't respond. It was so beautiful…

But it made her sad too. Nothing like this existed in the world of Remnant, not since Mountain Glen fell to Grimm. Then, the inkling suspicion that had been eating at her mind finally made itself known.

This was not Remnant.

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><p><strong>AN: So what'd you think? It'd be awesome if you let me know! Comments and PM's are always appreciated. As to why Ruby is able to speak Japanese, it's merely a convenience. Having her have to learn the language would be both boring and obtrusive in regards to the narrative. **


	2. Of Monsters and Children

**A/N: Finally, Chapter 2! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Keep 'em coming, more is always better! :D**

**Anyway, for those who are unaware, there was no mistake when I referred to Ruby as 18. She's coming into this story a little older, and slightly more mature (_slightly_) than the adorkable crimson-clad huntress we all know and love.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2:<strong> **Of Monsters and Children**

They were lost. Hopelessly, irrevocably lost. Corridor upon corridor of bleak metal and red markings stared them down, towering and imposing. Riding along a treadmill-esque personnel mover, Ruby did little more than marvel at the scale of Nerv Headquarters.

"Isn't this the right map?" Misato said, looking down at the scrap of paper. "I wonder where Ritsuko is."

"We passed this spot twice already." Shinji said, not looking up from his pamphlet. Ruby said nothing.

"How you doing back there, Ruby?" Misato asked. "You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm… ok, Misato." She rubbed the back of her head, trying to smile.

"…Alright. Sorry about this guys, I'm not used to this place. I'll give Ritsuko a call."

Ruby sighed. How did she get here? _Why_ was she here? Slowly, she realized it didn't matter. She'd find a way home, no matter what. But while she was here, she'd do what she could to help anyone who needed it. That was her duty after all.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Ten Minutes Later<strong>

The elevator doors opened, revealing a blonde woman with a small, un-amused smile on her face.

"Oh… uh… hey… Ritsuko." The woman stepped forward.

"Why are you wasting my time, _Captain_?" Ruby perked up. Misato was military? What _was_ NERV exactly?

"Uh… sorry." Misato said, giving a quick, apologetic bow. Ritsuko sighed, glancing over at Shinji.

"Is this the boy?"

"One Shinji Ikari, healthy and whole" Ristuko nodded before turning to Ruby. Something about her demeanor reminded her of Glenda. Could be 'cause they were both blonde, or that they were both kinda scary.

"And who is his friend?"

"Ruby Rose. Charmed." Ruby said. She offered a hand to Ritsuko, who ignored the gesture.

"She doesn't belong here, Misato. You know that. She _looks_ like she should be at some kind of renaissance fair." Ruby huffed. She didn't know what a renaissance fair was, but it sounded insulting. What was wrong with her outfit?

"It's a _combat skirt_." She said defensively. They stared at her.

"She was lost and confused, Ristuko, what was I supposed to do? Just leave her out there with the Angel?"

"Yes."

"Ugh, fine! I'm sorry for having a heart! The kid needs help!"

"I'm… uh… right here…" Ruby said, pushing her fingers together. "And what's an angel?" More staring. Shinji ignored the conversation, still nose-deep in his book. "And I'm a huntress-in-training, I don't need help!" She pointed to herself proudly. "I drink _milk_." The woman named Ritsuko stared at her for an uncomfortably long time.

"I'll get a room prepped for her in the hospital wing. She's clearly disoriented." Misato nodded in agreement.

"Anyways Ruby, an Angel is that thing you saw out there. The… what did you call it?"

"Grimm." Ritsuko and Misato exchanged a glance.

"Right… the Grimm."

The elevator continued on its path. Overhead, a loudspeaker issued another warning.

"Battle stations level one. All combat personnel. Please report to battle stations."

"It sounds pretty serious." Ritsuko said. Ruby listened to them jabber on about a 'Unit 1' for awhile, and something called an 'Oni'.

"So you fight these Angels?" Ruby asked, interrupting the conversation.

"I'm sorry, but that's classified." Ritsuko said.

"I mean… I can help. I'm a trained Huntress."  
>"And what is a Huntress, exactly, little lady?"<p>

"I've been trained my whole life to fight grimm. I don't have my weapon right now, but I'm sure I could make another one if you got me the tools and the Dust."

"The… dust?" Right… different world. It was plausible that this world did not run off the universal power source like the world of Remnant. Plausible, but not likely. They probably used a different word for it or something.

"Never mind. I wanna help!"

"We'll… see what we can do." Misato said noncommittally.

"Speaking of which," Ritsuko said, "this is your floor, Ms. Rose." The elevator doors slid open to reveal two guards clad in beige uniforms and red berets. Each of them bore a large assault rifle.

Ruby felt a sharp push, and she was thrust in between the two soldiers.

"Uh… good luck with your dad, Shinji!" Ruby said before the doors slid shut. Shinji just looked sad. The elevator disappeared. "So… uh… what now?" She asked the men.

The slap of handcuffs was her answer, cold steel binding her hands together.

"You're coming with us." One of them said. "Vice Commander Fuyutski wants to see you."

"Would've come without the handcuffs…" Ruby mumbled. This was very different from the last time she had wound up in such a situation. Ozpin had brought her cookies and milk… She sighed. This is not how she planned things going.

"Your guns are cool… do they turn into swords?" She tried. The guard on her left looked puzzled for a moment before the mask of indifference reasserted itself.

After a minute of walking, a wide metal door slid open, revealing what Ruby assumed to be NERV's command center. Holographic maps projected into the center of the room, orange lines filling the subterranean space with dazzling topological data. Monitors and hexagonal displays covered the walls, each tracking some unknowable variable.

Despite the handcuffs, Ruby couldn't help but think that this was **really** cool.

A man in an umber uniform approached her, age lines drawing his face tight against his angular jaw. Well-combed grey hair fell in front of a pair of tired brown eyes. A sharp prod with an assault rifle pushed her forward.

"Vice Commander Fuyutski, this girl was found accompanying the Third Child." He considered this, bringing his hand to his chin in thought. Ruby shifted uncomfortably.

"I wasn't aware Shinji had any friends accompany him to Tokyo-3."

"With all due respect sir," Ruby began, "I didn't. I just kind of… ended up here." He considered this.

"And do you remember how you arrived?" Ruby kicked at the metal floor with her boot.

"No sir. No I do not."

"So let me get this straight." Fuyutski said, sizing up the guards that flanked Ruby. "You brought a lost, confused amnesiac to me in handcuffs and _under force of arms_?"

"Gendo-"

"Is speaking with his son. I'm in charge here. Release her." Ruby felt the metal links fall away, her wrists free almost as soon as they had been bound. The guard muttered something.

"Uh… thanks… Sir." She said, rubbing her wrists. She liked this Fuyutski person.

"Don't thank me yet. You've picked a dangerous time to arrive in Tokyo-3." A shout interrupted their conversation.

"How could you do this to me? I thought you didn't want me!" Shinji. Ruby glanced at a monitor, which focused on the boy's face. It was anguished. "_Why_? Why did you have to call me now, Father?" The response was cold, calculated.

"Because I have a use for you." The words shocked Ruby to her core. She didn't get along with her dad too well, but at least she knew he loved her. This man… obviously lacked anything that resembled such feelings. Only malevolence lived behind those dark orange glasses. Poor Shinji.

Fuyutski sighed.

"They have a complicated relationship." He suggested.

"Doesn't look complicated to me. Looks like Shinji's dad's a total jerk." To prove her point, Shinji's head drooped, his shoulders slumping. An invisible weight was crushing him.

"Why me?"

"Because there is no one else."

"No one else for what, Mr. Fuyutski?"

"You… don't need to concern yourself, Ms…" He paused.

"Oh! Uh… Ruby. You can just call me Ruby."

"Ruby. That's a name I've not heard before." The earth shook, under assault from the massive Grimm. Ruby shuddered to imagine facing such a creature that could affect NERV's base so far underground.

"You mustn't run away, Shinji. You must confront your Father. And you must confront yourself." Misato said, stooping before the boy. Ruby gasped, realizing.

"You want him to fight that _thing_?" Fuyutski sighed, giving her and odd look.

"Yes." He said, apparently not finding a reason to hide the fact any further. Ruby looked to the screen, the anguish in Shinji's eyes spilling over into salted tears. Nothing came to mind. The idea was so insane… he didn't even have a _weapon_.

The monitor shifted, revealing the face of the father.

"Fuyutski." He turned to face it.

"Sir."

"Wake up Rei."

"Can we use her?" A long pause.

"She's not dead yet."

"Understood." Ruby clenched her belt. Who _were_ these people? Nerv was looking more and more dangerous by the second. When they wheeled the breathing corpse out, Ruby covered her mouth to keep from screaming.

The girl was more bandages than human. An I.V. ran from her arm to a bag of orange liquid. The injuries did not frighten her, nor even the concept of making such a broken being fight.

It was the hair. Something about the girl's blue hair screamed _danger _to Ruby. It screamed death and pain and suffering. She'd seen blue hair before. Heck, Neptune had become a good friend over her semesters at Beacon. But something about this girl was deeply unnatural to her.

"Everything alright, Ms. Rose?" Fuyutski asked, noticing the girl's discomfort.

"All good, Mr. Fuyutski." She gave him a small smile. An utterly unconvincing smile.

"Don't worry, we'll get you to the Hospital soon enough. Everything's going to be ok." The base shook again, shuddering under the weight of the Grimm's assault. This blast was enough to lift Ruby off her feet and send the command center into chaos. Warnings flashed on the walls, the words 'DANGER!' displayed in towering red letters.

"What _is_ that thing?" Ruby asked, pushing herself to her feet.

"It's an Angel, Ms. Rose."

"And what exactly is an Angel?"

"A herald from God."

"God? What is a…God?" Fuyutski appraised her again, shock evident on his face. Ruby was very confused. There were a lot of terms people were throwing around that were very unfamiliar to her. Noticing his surprise, she tried to play it off. "I'm… uh… not from around here."

This did not change his expression.

_At least_ _I tried._

Shinji's father returned with Misato and Ritsuko. The man radiated power. Even Fuyutski stepped aside in deference. He ignored Ruby's presence entirely. She wanted to scream at him, scold him from treating his son like dirt, but the man's sneer of cold command dried up her intentions like a puddle in the desert.

"Shinji has agreed to pilot the Evangelion." He informed Fuyutski. "Ready battle stations."

NERV was a hive of activity as this 'Evangelion' began activation. Ritsuko guided Shinji through the boot-up process. Misato ordered her underlings around, prepping for something called 'launch'. The man sat silently, hands folded before his face.

Then, she saw it. It couldn't have been anything else. Just as large as the Grimm, the Evangelion was unspeakably massive. Her jaw dropped. Shinji was going to pilot _that_? Ruby was in awe, fear, and utter helplessness all at once. Crescent Rose was a joke compared to the titanic war machine that stood before her. It was taller than Beacon, its teeth bigger than most of her classmates.

WHY DID IT HAVE _TEETH_?

Ruby's jaw hung open. The only comparable thing she'd ever seen was the Atlesian Paladin, which was a dwarfish, primitive parody of this thing.

"Can we really do this?" Misato asked, trepidation in her voice. Ruby was wondering the same thing.

"Of course." Shinji's father replied, as if the activation of this thing was inevitable as the tides. "Unless we defeat the Angels, Humanity has no future."

"Ikari, are you absolutely certain?" Fuyutski asked. No response.

"EVA LAUNCH!" Misato cried. Ruby felt very small, almost as small as she did when she arrived at Beacon for the first time. NERV was the epicenter at which the future of Humanity was decided.

There were no criminals to arrest, club owners to rough up, revolutionaries to put down, and no grimm to kill in a glorified version of pest control. It was Shinji in his monstrosity versus the Angel, a clash that was monumental in both importance and magnitude.

She just met the kid a few hours ago. A civilian through and through. His father had forced him here, dumped the fate of humanity on his shoulders, and all in the span of a few minutes.

At least they _trained_ people at Beacon.

The Evangelion arrived at the surface, facing the Angel.

"Ok, Shinji, we're going to focus on walking for now." A muffled affirmative. The purple and green beast strode forward. Unable to contain herself, Ruby cheered him on. He needed it more than anyone else she'd ever seen.

"GO SHINJI! YOU CAN DO THIS!" She yelled, cupping her hands over her mouth. The command center turned to look at her. The _entire _command center.

"R-Ruby?" Shinji said.

"**KICK ITS ****_BUTT_**!"

"Security, detain the civilian."

Someone pulled her arms back, she struggled and kicked before a needle found its way into her neck. A small hiss, and blackness fell upon her.

She was awake long enough to watch the Evangelion topple to the ground, just as she herself sunk to her knees.

_No_.

* * *

><p>i'm not real<p>

of course you are you think just because you have nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me

Penny only laughed. And laughed and laughed and laughed and-

NUTS AND BOLTS AND FRUITS AND SOULS wait… that wasn't…

Her friend's mouth fell open, then off. Bits and pieces of Penny melted away, turning from metal and gears to flesh and sinew as her body sloughed away.

And her hair wasn't blue nor her eyes a deep RED, RED LIKE ROSES JUST LIKE MOTHER

I'M NOT REAL, RUBY the head said as it toppled to the floor DON'T YOU SEE? JUST A VESSEL, THAT'S ALL I AM _THAT'S ALL I AM_ **_THAT'S ALL I AM THAT'S_**-

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Next Day<strong>

"GAH!" Ruby awoke with a start, cold sweat soaking the pure linen sheets on her bed. Above her was an unfamiliar ceiling. The sterile environment suggested a hospital.

If she was alive, then… what happened to Shinji? Did he beat the Angel? Ugh… her head hurt. She tried to sit up, before realizing she had been bound to the hospital bed.

She started to sob. All she wanted was to be back at Beacon. She missed her friends and Yang and Ozpin team JNPR, Oobleck and Crescent Rose and- the door slid open, interrupting her thoughts.

"Bad dreams?" Ristusko said. She had a glass of water in one hand, and a small plate of food in the other. Ruby sniffled.

"Yeah."

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

The interrogation took much longer than expected. Ritsuko took a deep drag on her cigarette, relishing the flavor as it ran over her tongue and settled her nerves. The girl was obviously confused, and suffering serious mental health issues.

She'd also run medical checkup on the girl, just to be on the side of caution. Blood testing, neuro-scans, the works. The data was still running through the MAGI supercomputer, but everything to appeared to be normal so far. She logged Ruby into the Tokyo-3 database just to be safe. _Keep the girl on file. _

Ringing. Her phone. She picked it up, extinguishing the cigarette with its countless brethren. It was Misato.

"Hey."

"Hey Ritsu. Look, Shinji just got released from the hospital, and there were a few issues with his living arrangements."

"Oh?" That's weird. Was there something wrong with the apartment he'd been provided?

"I'll be taking him home with me." Ritsuko almost dropped the phone.

"What did you say?!"

"You heard me. It's already been approved. And don't worry, I'm not going to make any passes at him-"

"I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE NOT!" Ritsuko screamed into her phone. Sometimes, Misato went too far. "You have no shame at all!"

"Great to see you still have your sense of humor, Ritsu." Ritsuko rubbed the bridge of her nose, the need for another cigarette beginning to eat at her.

"Look, Misato, I'm really not in the mood. I've just finished interrogating this… _Ruby_ girl." There was second's pause on the line.

"And?"

"Well, she had a blood-pattern Orange. So you're right, she's not an Angel. We know that at least."

"That's a relief. Anything else?"

"She appears to have some deviant form of a fugue state… she seems to have forgotten everything about her past life. Instead, she insists on hailing from some carefully crafted fantasy world, one of her own creation. Strangely enough, she recalls exactly when she blacked out, and insists it happened in this fantasy world."

"A fantasy world? Well, she did seem to be the artsy type and all, wearing that cape…"

"The clothes are actually pretty telling. There was a tear in the stomach region, and a corresponding scar on her torso, but she has no memory of the event. The shock of the wound is likely what drove her into this state." Ritsuko tapped a few buttons on her computer. The last few MAGI runtimes on Ruby's data were almost done. "Judging by how much that scar has healed, it's possible she's been wandering around like this for a few months." Misato gasped.

"That poor girl!"

"I know. But we can't keep her here… and since her DNA doesn't match anyone in our database, it's apparent she doesn't have any relatives in Tokyo-3. We'll have to move her into a public hospital…" A heavy, world-weary sigh, tasting faintly of tobacco.

"Ritsu… can you tabs on her? As a personal favor?" Misato had always been the sensitive type. She turned to her computer, checking the '**Alert!**' icon that the MAGI sent her.

"I'll see what I…can… do…" Her voice trailed away, eyes furiously scanning the message.

"Uh… Ritsuko?"

No. No way. That was impossible. _Beyond_ impossible.

"Misato, I've gotta go. I'll call you back."

"What about-" Ritsuko hung up. She reached for a cigarette, hands shaking.

She ran through the message again, checking the highlighted data. Her foot tapped impatiently against the floor as she went over it. Green text flew through her screen, base pairs and neurological readings being checked and re-checked. She took a deep drag, hoping to still her nerves if only for a moment. Red lines, calculations, all of them pointing to the same conclusion. All infallible. That was it then.

This 'Ruby' girl is the Fourth Child.

_But how? The only way that could be is if-_

Her phone rang, Priority-1. It was Maya.

"Ma'am, you're needed down in the EVA Lab! Unit Zero's going berserk again!"

"I wasn't aware Rei was-"

"She's not! It activated all by itself!" The rest of the conversation was lost as Ritsuko sprinted down the hallways, lab coat fluttering behind her in her panic.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN! Okay, that should have been seen a mile away. Just sayin'. But I don't know, I'm not you! What are your thoughts? Let me know! Also, check out my newest fic "A World of Bloody Evolution", a Warhammer 40k/RWBY story that I think y'all are gonna dig.**

**Also, I'm doing some things and making some assumptions about the world of Remnant, and what their world is like. You'll see some more of this as the story progresses.**

**As to the EVA world, some AU elements will begin appearing shortly. Nothing major, believe me! Just setting up some stuff. I think you're gonna like it.**

**Thanks again, you guys rock!**


	3. New Friends and Old Habits

**A/N: Hey, this is back! I'm sorry this story isn't quite as fast-paced as "A World of Bloody Evolution"! I figured it fit the EVA feel more if I paced it as is. Anyway, with that being said, I hope you enjoy it! **

**Also, scooting the review replies down to the bottom notes. Thanks again for the support, guys! You rock! **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: New Friends and Old Habits<strong>

"I'm a what?"

"You're the Fourth Child. One of the gifted few who have the ability to pilot an evangelion." Ruby considered this. Misato looked worried when she'd come in, a burden weighing down her shoulders.

"So what does this mean?"

"It means you have an opportunity to help humanity fight the angels. It's an enormous responsibility, one that-"

"I'll do it." Misato was taken aback.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I'll do whatever I can to keep people safe." Misato gave the girl a brief hug, swallowing the smaller girl in her arms. Ruby was surprised, but greatly comforted by the gesture.

"You're a brave girl, Ruby."

"Thank you." She returned the hug, squeezing the older woman tight.

Shinji remained in the hallway, watching the scene play out before him. He looked away, shoulders shaking. Ruby ignored him for now.

"So what now?"

"Well the higher-ups want you to stay at Nerv headquarters for now, but I'm putting in the paperwork to have you come live with me and Shinji. Would you like that?" She thought for a bit before nodding. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow, get you acclimatized. We can go shopping!" Ruby squealed a bit, and Misato beamed. "It'll be nice having someone to do girly stuff with." Digging through her satchel, Misato brought out a heavy stack of papers, bound within a manila envelope. "Here's your basic briefing. If you have any questions, Ritsuko and I will help you tomorrow. Oh, and I left you a change of clothes on that chair."

"Thank you so much, Misato."

"Of course! Although I'm technically your commanding officer now." Ruby threw her an enthusiastic salute.

"Yes ma'am!" They laughed a bit, and said their goodbyes. Shinji stared at Ruby before the door slid shut, his expression blank and unreadable. _Something's off with that kid._ She thought, before turning her gaze to the impressive stack of papers before her.

It was all so sudden, that she'd wind up in some unknowable, unfamiliar world, then asked to defend it. _In an evangelion, no less_! She didn't have the slightest idea how to work one, but she'd learn. The weapons she was familiar with wouldn't work against anything as massive as the creature she'd seen yesterday. Looks like finding a way home would be on the backburner for a bit. She reached for the stack of papers.

'_Pilot's Manual'_, the cover said. She flipped the blank red page over. 'The assigned pilot of the Evangelion is hereby bound by these restrictions and confidentialities-'

"Bored now." She said, removing herself from the hospital bed. She changed into the clothes Misato had left her, a simple pair of jeans and a plain red t-shirt. Taking a deep breath, she slipped out of the hospital room.

At least, she tried to. A rough hand fell on her shoulder, startling her. It was one of the guards from before, when she'd been so roughly dragged before Vice Commander Fuyutski. This one had a rifle in his arms, and a blood red beret that bore an officer's insignia. Dark brown eyes regarded her, and a small scar that ran across his lips twitched.

"Sorry for startling you, Miss. I have orders to keep you under watch." Ruby sighed.

"Fair enough. This place is already too weird for me to tackle alone. Wanna help me explore?" He nodded, his visage stern and stoic.

"We've been allowed that privilege. I'm Lance Corporal Hikijira by the way." He shouldered his assault rifle, extending his hand. Ruby shook it. "You can call me Tamotsu though."

"Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you, Tamotsu. For real this time."

"I apologize for the circumstances of our first meeting. Everyone was on edge from the Angel attack."

"I understand. By the way, can you tell me what this whole 'Fourth Child' business is about? It's all super weird and cryptic." Tamotsu shrugged.

"Most of that stuff's above my pay grade, but I know the basics. Basically, the Marduk Institute has determined that you are able to pilot an Evangelion, and as such, you are tasked with defending humanity from the angels. We all are. That's Nerv's purpose." _Marduk institute? What's that? And Nerv exists solely to combat the angels? _Ruby pondered this for a while as they left the hospital wing.

Eventually, they reached a large transit area that bustled with people. Everything here was so clean and clinical. Military figures hustled back and forth, each with brisk strides and straight backs. Despite the unfamiliarity with the place, Ruby had no worries about getting lost. There were signs pointing to each facility, and maps of the headquarters everywhere. And Tamotsu would help her, of course.

"How long have angels been attacking?"

"They… haven't. The angel Shinji defeated yesterday was the first one to show up."

"Ah. How many are there?"

"No one knows for sure."

"Ok. So do I have my own evangelion? How does that work? When will I get to see it?" Despite the danger, Ruby secretly shivered at the prospect of piloting an evangelion. They looked so frickin' cool! _Scary, sure. But mostly cool._ Tamotsu cocked his head, appraising her for a moment.

"You'll have your own, but for now, we only have Unit Zero and Unit One at Tokyo-3. I believe Rei was going to pilot Unit Zero, but it might be assigned to you instead."

"Rei's the blue-haired girl right?"

"Yeah." Ruby shivered.

"She scares me for some reason."

"I don't blame you, Miss Rose. She's an odd one. Never speaks, never smiles. I've seen her twice, and each time, all I could think of was this doll my sister used to have." An unpleasant chill tinged his words, causing Ruby to shudder.

They stopped in front of a large interactive map. The headquarters was in the shape of a giant hexagon, containing countless floors and facilities.

"Where to?" Tamotsu asked. Ruby considered her many options. She pointed to the large gap in the center of the hologram. The figure danced and flickered at her touch.

"What's Central Dogma?" Her guard visibly stiffened.

"No one goes there. No one I've talked to in my five years of working here has ever gone there, or even knows what it contains."

"Yeesh."

"Nerv is a place of many mysteries, Miss Rose. You would do well to learn that as quickly as possible."

"Not going there, I guess. What about-" She stopped, before pointing furiously. "You guys have an armory?"

"Yes, it's for the Nerv's Tactical division and-"

"Can we go there?" Ruby asked, doing her very best puppy eyes. It had been too long since she'd seen Crescent Rose, and she wanted to learn about the armaments of this world.

"I'll… check with the Sarge." He took a deep breath before making a call on his radio. An unintelligible voice roared out from the device, and Tamotsu cringed. Speaking softly, he glanced at Ruby a few times while he argued into the headpiece. After nodding a few times, he turned to her.

"Sarge says it's ok. She'll meet us down there." Ruby squealed, pulling at the man's uniform and on to the nearest elevator.

"Miss Rose! Careful! You don't even know where you're going!"

"I'll make do! Let's go, Tamotsu!"

The elevator doors slid shut, and Ruby was smiling, rocking back and forth on her heels. Tamotsu was looking at her oddly, as if she was a King Tajitu with big furry legs or something.

"May I ask why you're so excited about visiting the armory?"

"'Cause I want to shoot guns, of course."

"Uh… um… hm." He was at a loss for words. He kicked idly at the metal floor of the elevator. "Not many girls your age are interested in such things." Ruby scoffed.

"Psh, well they aren't cool like me. Plus, they probably don't have Huntress training."

"Huntress training?"

"I'll explain later." She said, beaming.

They reached their floor, and the doors opened, revealing a dimly lit corridor.

"This way, Miss Rose." Tamotsu led her down the hallways, before they came to a stop before a large metal door. He swiped a card, and the door split apart to reveal yet another sparse metal corridor.

A woman stood before them, smoking a cigarette and leaning against the wall. Her emerald eyes bored into Ruby, searching her soul for fault and sin. Like Tamotsu, she was garbed in a beige uniform and crimson beret, but had a large golden shoulder patch to indicate her rank.

He saluted, and the woman returned it briefly before flicking some ash away and breathing smoke on Ruby. She coughed and waved at the air in front of her.

"This the Fourth Child?" She said. Her voice was quiet, a silken, luxuriant whisper.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Ain't much to look at. Why you down here, girlie?"

"Look lady, I don't know where you get off-" She waved off Tamotsu, who was making hasty 'be silent' gestures. "Not now, Tamotsu." She turned once more to the sergeant. "I come down here, wanting to explore, and you blow smoke on my face and call me names? What's the matter with you?"

"Kid, if you didn't outrank me, I'd beat the shit out of you."

_Wait, I outrank someone? _Ruby thought, suddenly puzzled. The sergeant continued.

"The only reason I'm here is because command's worried you might start shooting up the place. Rumor has it you're a bit of a nutcase. Anyway, asshole over here radios me, waking me up from a much-deserved rest, just so you can ogle some rifles. Forgive me if first impressions are a bit rough." She took a drag from her cigarette, returning her gaze to the ceiling.

"I-I'm sorry, Ma'am."

"Whatever. Now fuck off. Guns 'r over there." She shook out a rolled-up magazine, and started flipping through the pages, now ignoring the pair before her.

"Come on, Miss Rose." Tamotsu said, scooting Ruby away before she could retort.

"How rude! I feel bad for interrupting her nap, but I mean, come on!"

"Sergeant Shimazu is a little gruff, but I promise she has a heart of gold."

"Is it hidden under a few hundred layers of bitch?" Ruby said. Tamotsu's practiced and measured neutrality broke under the force of a small smile. Instead of replying, he gestured to the room they had just entered. Rifles and submachine guns galore hung from the walls, encased in wire cages. Ruby's annoyance at the Sergeant's attitude vanished.

"You up for a little target shooting, Miss Rose?" She did not reply at first, instead looking over the weapons with an expression of pure awe.

"Yeah I am!" Her feet seemed to vanish, and she floated between displays as if carried by a cloud of sheer bliss. "Wow… these are all so cool! What kind of melee function do they have?"

"Well- wait what? A _what_ function?"

"A melee function. I built my baby Crescent Rose as a hybrid high-impact sniper rifle, but it also had a bladed scythe attachment." Tamotsu only stared.

"Ok. There's… wow. Wait, you _built_ a sniper rifle-"

"That is also a scythe."

"And a… scythe? By yourself?"

"Designed and built!" She said proudly, striding over to the rack of sniper rifles. After a few seconds of deep appraisal, hand on her chin, she selected one. She grunted as she lifted it off its place. It was twice as heavy as Crescent Rose, and it didn't even have any attachments or folding mechanisms!

"Woof, this is pretty heavy! Who made it?"

"Um." Tamotsu thought for a moment. "The Barret Corporation made it. It's called the Barret M99." Ruby sighed. Mass-produced weapons were so boring compared to Hunter weapons.

"Alright. What kind of rounds does it fire?"

".50 BMG."

"I haven't heard of that... What kind of dust propellant does it use?"

"I- what? Miss Rose, you're throwing some awfully strange terms around." Ruby took the rifle to the range, sighing heavily. Sometimes, she forgot she wasn't in Remnant anymore.

"Never mind!" She rested the butt of the weapon on the floor. "Can you please get me some ammo? I'm still new around here." He strode over to a cabinet. As he passed, she saw the Sergeant pretending to read her magazine, her legs lazily sprawled over her desk. Her eyes only gave her reading material the faintest of attentions; most of her focus was on Ruby. _Weird._

"Here you go, Miss Rose." He showed her five rounds, each of which were almost as large as her hands. She gave a low whistle. In his other hand was a pair of mufflers.

Donning them, she laid down, settling into a sniper's position. After planting the weapon against her shoulder, she lifted a hand towards Tamotsu.

"Rounds, please!" He gave them to her before activating the target range, and a low buzzing noise sounded throughout the enclosure. She rammed a cartridge home, let her breath out and fired, all in the span of a second. It roared, and the target a few hundred meters downrange sprouted a large wound in its center.

The gun kicked violently against her shoulder, but she ignored it, already sliding another round home. Firing again, the round destroyed the target's head, tearing it off its stand. Another target sprung up as she was reloading. Ruby swiveled immediately, striking the center of the target once again. Before the echo faded away, the next round was loaded, slammed into place, and fired. Just below the center. Ruby sneered, annoyed.

The final round struck the target's head.

"Clear!" She shouted, realizing she was out of rounds. Tamotsu stared at her, mouth open and hands clasped tightly over his ears. The Sergeant stood slack-jawed, cigarette hanging precariously from her painted red lips.

"Jesus _Christ_ kid, where the hell did you learn to shoot like that?" She cried.

"Huntress training." Ruby replied simply.

* * *

><p>"<em>What<em> happened?" Misato asked, clenching the phone tighter. She'd just gotten in the bath when the phone rang. The water sloshed and spilled over the edge of the tub as she sat upright.

"Unit Zero went berserk."

"How?!"

"We're still trying to figure that out. We weren't performing any experiments on it at the time." Misato felt a sliver of cold fear worm its way into her stomach, despite the warm bathwater that surrounded her. _What _are_ the EVAs? What are they _capable_ of?_

"Is everyone ok?"

"No injuries. We were able to restrain it in time." She let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank God for that."

"And another thing, Misato..."

"Ritsu, what is it?"

"Well… the Fourth Child decided to make friends with the security team." Misato looked at the phone for a second, puzzled. Why was that a bad thing? She knew Lance Corporal Hikijira was watching over her. He was a good man, no matter what his résumé implied.

"And she made a sojourn down to the armory." _Oh no._

"Turns out she's a whiz with guns. The kid put five rounds on target, no misses…with a .50 caliber sniper rifle no less! I'm just baffled her shoulder isn't shattered."

"Maybe she's an enthusiast?"

"I don't know, the whole thing is just frightening to me. Maybe she ran with looters after Second Impact?"

"What, when she was _two_?"

"I don't know Misato. There's something off about this girl."

"Then she'll make perfect company for Rei."

"This isn't a joke. She shows up out of nowhere, suffering from serious mental disorders, is revealed as the Fourth Child, and shows talent with rifles our best agents can't beat. And they've been trying, believe me! In fact, I think they're still at it!"

"Look, I'll talk to her tomorrow, ok? In the meantime, just… keep an eye out."

"And you want to live with this girl? You never cease to fascinate me, Misato." She smiled.

"I just like to socialize with people rather than cats." A playful jab. Ritsuko chuckled.

"Anyways, I have lots of tests to run. I'll probably be stuck here all night. Would you be a dear and bring your best friend some coffee tomorrow morning?"

"Will do, Ritsu."

"Oh, and speaking of roommates, be sure to speak with Shinji would you?" _A good idea._

"After what he went through, I'm surprised he's still here."

"Maintaining him is your job you know!" Ritsuko said in a sing-song voice. "And it was your idea to take him in!"

"Oh shut up!" Misato snapped, although not too angrily. Ritsuko let out a small laugh.

"I'll leave you to it. Goodnight, Misato."

"Goodnight, Ritsuko." She hung up the phone and leaned back in her bath, letting her arm drape over the edge of the tub. Hazy clouds of steam wafted and filled the room, a purifying, relaxing sensation. It did much to alleviate the worrying news she'd just received. Talking with Ritsuko helped too. They were best friends for a reason.

She soaked in the bath for a few minutes, pondering. Unit Zero going insane disturbed her far more than Ruby's proficiency with guns. The girl had a hobby. So what? However, an EVA with no dummy plug going berserk and trying to tear itself apart was another matter entirely.

Pushing it out of her mind, she reached for a towel. Stepping out her bath with a few muted splashes, she ran it over her pale skin. The cloth drank the liquid greedily as it passed over her legs and chest.

Everything will have to wait until tomorrow. Wrapping herself up, she left the bathroom and headed for Shinji's room. Piloting had undoubtedly traumatized the poor kid. Ritsu was right, he needed some support. Her hand tightened around her towel. _Especially after we used him like a tool._ "Shinji… can I come in?" No answer. She slid the door open anyway. He was not asleep, that much was obvious. Music drifted to her ears, the faint hint of melody that spilled from his ear buds. "I… forgot to tell you something. You did something very good, and very noble today. You should be proud. Goodnight, Shinji. Hang in there." She closed the door.

Her words felt empty and hollow, but it was the best she could do.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yeah, there's a few OCs. Hopefully they don't grate too badly. Well, maybe they do... what are your thoughts? Be sure to let me know! **

**Oh, and some AU stuff is starting to appear. Note, if you will, that Pilots hold a formal rank of sorts around Nerv, although it isn't a part of the normal command structure. And the pilots are treated a bit differently because of this. There's more emphasis on keeping them appeased, which is why Ruby was allowed to visit the armory despite fears she's gone completely nanners.**

**I have some fun stuff planned, hope you guys stick around!**

**Review Replies:**

**DT999: Thanks so much! I hope you like the direction this goes.**

**Proxy-Meta: Thanks for your continued support of my stories! Your input is always appreciated. And I was hoping someone would notice haha**

**keeper of all lore: We'll see what happens! I'm only a few chapters ahead, but I have to say, watching Ruby and Shinji bounce off each other is amazing to watch. I think you'll agree! :D And Ruby will no doubt have a few things to say about piloting... we'll see what she has to say!**

**divinedemon1: Honestly, the only other thing she could have done (and still be relevant to the story) would work under Misato as part of Nerv's tactical division. It'd be fun for a while, but watching her in an EVA has so much more potential. Thanks for sticking around though! :3**

**Next Chapter: Ruby discovers the wonders of Modern-Day Japan.**


	4. The Kindness of Strangers

**A/N: Chapter four everyone! Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy this one, I had a lot of fun writing it! Be sure to let me know, ok? :D**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: The Kindness of Strangers<strong>

Ruby slept alone for the first time in many nights. She'd gotten so used to sharing the dorm room with Weiss, Blake, and Yang, utter silence was an alien experience. By now, Yang would've started snoring, and Blake would still be turning pages of a voluminous tome. Weiss always mumbled in her sleep, usually something about dust.

The hospital room was quiet. Tamotsu stood guard outside, but did not make a sound. The room was silent, and it chilled her. She pulled the covers tight around her. So many questions whirled around in her head, musings and thoughts that accompanied the ever-present misery about leaving Remnant and her friends behind.

_How did I get here? Can I ever go back?_

And there was the other weirdness that surrounded her arrival in Tokyo-3… She examined her hands again. The ursa-bite scars she bore had disappeared completely, even though she'd been told they never would.

Slipping out of bed, she made her way to the scale that stood on the other end of the hospital. Ruby measured and weighed herself, just to be sure. She sucked in a breath. Three inches shorter and almost twenty pounds lighter. The muscle she'd spent years building at Beacon had vanished. There was no denying it any longer.

She was younger, but by how much, she wasn't certain. Hopefully she wouldn't have to go through puberty again. _Puberty suuuuuuccked._

What else had changed with her arrival in this strange land? Her hands flexed, and she sprung forwards, hoping to activate her semblance.

Nothing. No rose petals, no blinding rush of speed. She just stumbled forward a bit, tripping over herself in the process. With a hard thump, she landed on the linoleum, catching herself just before her head crashed to the floor.

"Ruby? Are you ok in there?" Tamotsu asked, voice muffled by the metal door.

"Uh… all good!" She lied. The facts tumbled over and over in her head. Her semblance had vanished, and likely her aura with it. Had it been locked away somehow? Or had she lost her soul entirely? Tears came to her eyes, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. It doesn't make _sense_! Nothing makes sense anymore!

Picking herself up off the floor, she crawled back into bed. Her mind turned to thoughts of her friends. Would she ever get to see them again? What twist of fate tore her away from everyone she knew and loved and left her here? The thoughts pulled at her, mauling her heart until a dreamless slumber took her.

* * *

><p>The next day, Misato met her outside Nerv HQ, waving to Ruby as she trudged down to meet her.<p>

"What's got you down, Ruby?" _Oh not much. I'll just never ever see my friends again. Or my home, or anything I'm familiar with. _

That's what she wanted to say. Instead, she just sighed.

"I miss home." Misato threw her a quick smile.

"I understand. Tokyo-3's a big place, and Nerv HQ doesn't help. I heard about your shooting exploits, by the way!" Ruby knew she was trying to change the subject, but couldn't help but be drawn in by Misato's enthusiasm.

"I gotta say, you guys have some pretty cool guns here. Nothing back home kicks like that." She stretched her arm and massaged her shoulder. "I think I'm bruising up a bit." Misato giggled a bit.

"That's what you get when you pick the biggest gun we have and fire off five rounds in the time it takes regular people to shoot two."

"That was fast?" Ruby asked, bewildered. Misato looked at her incredulously.

"Just where do you come from?" Ruby didn't respond, instead choosing to curl her legs towards her chest, hugging herself tight. She was silent for awhile, before Misato scoffed. "Hey, none of that, now! I did my time staying quiet, all it brought me was misery." Ruby sighed.

"It doesn't matter." She replied. "You're just gonna think I'm crazy anyway." Misato didn't say anything at first.

"Well if it's real to you, then it's real enough for me. That's all that really matters." Misato flashed her a brief smile before turning her eyes back to the road. Ruby was silent for a minute. She sniffed.

"You're pretty cool, you know that?" Misato laughed and threw her a wink.

"I know. Now come on, share!"

"Nope. _Maybe_ later though." Despite refusing her, she was already uncurled, a small grin on her face. "So where's Shinji?"

"He mumbled something about having enough clothes and locked himself in his room. He's just like his father... the gruff and unfriendly part that is."

"Yeah, what's up with that?!" Ruby asked, turning to face the older woman. "I thought Weiss' dad was a jerk, but that guy really takes the cake!"

"Who's Weiss? And why would Commander Ikari take a cake?" Huh. That was weird. Guess that wasn't an expression here.

"Never mind. Basically, Shinji's dad is a total jerk." Misato huffed, an impression of a laugh.

"That's putting it lightly. Commander Ikari's an asshole, but be assured, everything he does in Humanity's best interests." She sighed, hands sliding apart on the steering wheel. "I just wish he'd show some love for his son. Poor kid just sits and listens to his music player."

"Agh, my scroll!" Ruby cried, realizing. "I don't have my scroll! Darn it!" She was an avid music listener, and whatever spare lien she had usually went towards music.

"Hey no biggie, we're going shopping after all! I'll pick you up an MP3 player." Ruby was stunned, silver eyes regarding Misato with shimmering gratitude.

"You don't have to! They're expensive!" She shrugged.

"Not really. Also, I'm one of the top officers in an U.N.-funded organization that is the only thing that stands between humanity and annihilation. Let's just say I don't go hungry."

"Well between new clothes and a music player-"

"And school supplies!" Ruby was too stunned at first respond. "That's right, young lady, don't think just because you're a pilot you don't have to go to school!"

"...Fair enough. I just thought there'd be a lot more training involved in piloting."

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to train. It _is_ your job after all. Welcome to the adult world!" Misato grinned.

"So if it's a job...do I get paid?"

"Yes."

"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed, pumping her first. Money was always cool. "So what kind of school supplies will I need for a civilian school?"

"You went to a military school?"

"Sorta."

"You'll have to tell me what your past was like. To be honest, it sounds a lot more interesting than life here."

"Try terrifying. But…I'll do that sometime."

"And don't worry, the stuff you need won't be anything outside the usual. Binders, notebooks, pens, that kind of thing."

So she was going back to school. She had been in her junior year at Beacon, and was fairly close to graduating early with all the extra credit hours she took. The prospect of starting over gave her a weird feeling.

"Alright," Misato said, hand cranking on the steering wheel as she backed into a parking space, "we're here!"

"This is a shopping mall? It's so... tall"

"There isn't a lot of space on Japan. We are an island country after all."

"Not gonna lie, I might want to spend all day here. I hope you can keep up!" Misato chuckled.

"You have your first sych test in a few hours, so I don't think we can stay all day. But hey, let's get lunch first. How does sushi sound?"

"Soo... she? Sushi? What's that?" Misato gaped at her before breaking into a wide grin.

"You're going to find out."

Ruby found out. It was delicious. Admittedly, the concept seemed a little sketchy at first (THEY DIDN'T COOK IT!) but after the first few pieces, she couldn't get enough. They even had the food run around on a conveyor belt. _How cool is that?_

Blake would be all over this place! _Is that racist_? _Ah_, w_hatever_. Faunus didn't exist for her anymore, and wondering about it wouldn't accomplish anything.

The instant they finished their food, Misato dragged her into a clothing store, and 'The Great Tokyo-3 Shopping Spree' began in earnest.

Ruby ended up having a blast. It had been years since she went to the mall with Yang, and shopping with Misato was almost as fun. She couldn't help but draw a lot of comparisons between the two. She ended up with a school uniform (which was wayyyy different than the stylish Beacon uniform she was used to), enough outfits to stuff a closet full, school supplies aplenty, and a new rose-red music player.

The music store was her favorite stop. Every song was new to her, every lyric, every swell of strings and crash of drums was a fresh experience.

Misato just smiled as she bounced around the store, listening to every sample station. After an hour and a half, she rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Ruby, we can't stay forever! Ristsuko's expecting us in an hour."

"Awww... Misato!"

"You can also get music online, you know."

"I can?! How does that work?" Misato just laughed.

"I'll show you how sometime. For now, we should go get Shinji. Pick your top three out, and let's go." Ruby squealed and collected her three favorites: the best of some guy who apparently liked beets enough to name his symphony after them, a foreign lady named Nena, and an album that had a prism on it. She couldn't find the band name, but they rocked.

During the entire trip back she was jamming to her new music, bouncing happily in the seat while Misato smiled. Their shopping trip had done wonders for Ruby's mood. Misato turned out to be a lot of fun, and was super nice too.

Shinji was as mopey as always, not saying much as he climbed into the back seat. That is, until Ruby crawled into the back seat with him.

"R-Ruby?"

"You're apparently always listening to music... I wanna know what you listen to." Shinji didn't say anything. He just blushed furiously and handed her an ear bud, desperate to avoid eye contact. Humming happily, she took it, giving the boy a bright smile.

He turned even redder.

"Alright guys, buckle up. Next stop, Nerv HQ."

The ride was a quiet one, but not unpleasantly so. Ruby was surprised by Shinji's taste in music. Most boys his age were still in their metal phase. And despite her friendly intentions, Shinji did not speak with her. _Oh well. He'll come around in his own time._ For some reason, he really liked two of the tracks, and frequently switched between them. _Weird, but whatever_.

Misato seemed pleased with herself for some reason.

They arrived at the lab without much ceremony, only passing a few Nerv staff on the way in. Misato took them to a laboratory of some sort that had a ton of computers. Dr. Akagi was waiting for them.

"Hello children. Are you ready for your first synch test?" Ruby raised her hand high in the air. Ritsuko seemed a bit taken aback. "Uh… yes, Ruby?"

"What's a synch test?" Ruby asked.

"In order to pilot an evangelion, you must synchronize with it. This involves lots of concentration and effort on your part. It is imperative that you take this seriously, for better synchronization ratios correspond with increased combat effectiveness."

"Ok, concentrate, got it!"

"You two will need these." She presented them with two neatly folded pieces of plastic. "They're your plug suits-" Ruby's hand started skyward, but Ritsuko cut her off. "They're piloting uniforms that cut down on interference, and can maximize your ratios. They're skin tight, and are sealed via a button on your wrist."

_Skin tight?_ Ruby squirmed. _Hopefully, they aren't too revealing. That's more Yang's thing._

"The locker rooms are right over there." Ritsuko continued. "Get changed, and we'll begin."

A divider had been drawn for their privacy, but as she undressed, Ruby couldn't help but feel like a bug under a microscope. Everything here was so clinical and… _science-y_, for the lack of a better term. **_And there's a cute boy getting naked only a few feet away!_** She thought, alarmed. Sure, he was younger, and boys had never been a large part of her life back in Remnant… but still!

She yelped as she pressed the seal on her wrist. The suit hissed, cold plastic sealing itself directly onto her skin.

"Ruby, are you ok?" Shinji asked.

"I'm fine! This thing's just really chilly!" She replied. Before leaving, she looked herself over in the mirror. The plug suit was midnight black, with crimson slashes running along it. _They got my colors right at least_. Harder bits of plastic covered her more sensitive areas, keeping them hidden from view. Glowing nodes protruded from her shoulders, and emblazoned on her chest were two red zeros. Overall, not bad. Not bad at all. A thin, wolfish grin spread across her face. _In fact… I look kinda good. _A faint red spread across her cheeks. _Still… it feels like I'm not wearing anything._

Leaving the locker room, Misato showed them the way to their test-plugs. Tamotsu was guarding the final door, along with Sergeant Shimazu. They saluted Misato, and stepped aside to let the Children through.

Ruby gave Tamotsu a little wave. His salute did not waver, but his eyes betrayed a hint of warmth. She returned his salute with gusto and a serious face, which broke the stoic façade and drew forth a small smile. Shimazu just rolled her eyes.

"I know them from earlier." Ruby explained, when Shinji gave her a questioning look. "They're cool. At least, Tamotsu is. Jury's out on the sergeant though." He just shrugged.

"I'll… take your word for it."

They climbed into their plugs, and the test commenced. It was spacious inside, with comfortable seating and two control sticks that jutted out from a central hub. A reddish-orange liquid flooded the compartment, and Ruby cried out in alarm. _WAS THIS ALL JUST A FANCY SET UP SO THEY COULD DROWN ME?_

"Don't worry, Ruby. It's LCL. You can breathe it in. It'll oxygenate your blood directly." Ritsuko said, utterly unconcerned. Still, she held her breath as the liquid swallowed her.

A screen appeared in the plug. It was Misato, a small, sympathetic smile on her face.

"It's ok, Ruby. Trust me." After a few seconds, she nodded, surrendering to the LCL. A shock of pain settled into her core and vanished as soon as it appeared. Her stomach flipped and flopped, unsure on how to handle the sensation of her lungs filling to the brim. And it tasted like _blood_.

"Ugh." She managed. Nausea settled in, but she tried to push it away. This test would determine how well she could pilot the EVA. How well she could fight. She let the rest of her air go, sending several pure white bubbles floating to the surface. It helped… kinda.

"Alright, we're beginning the test. Focus on emptying your mind. Calm and collected." Misato said. "You guys got this." Ruby obeyed, shutting down her disgust about the LCL and the lingering thoughts of home.

* * *

><p>A half hour into the test, and Ritsuko let out a small 'hm.'<p>

"What is it, Ritsu?" Misato asked.

"Well, Ruby's readings. I was only able to get basic readings when she was in the hospital, but these results are much more comprehensive." She gestured at a green line that was dancing up and down a computer monitor. Misato couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"Looks like a green line to me."

"Well, normally, a pilot who's suffering severe mental instability would generate highly erratic results, but these are even more stable than Shinji's."  
>"Huh." Misato checked the monitor feeds again. The two pilots were both focused, their eyes closed and lips drawn tight.<p>

"Huh indeed."

"Well, how's her synch ratio look?"

"Preliminary results… are actually pretty impressive. Look at this." Ritsuko pointed at a screen with one hand while extracting a cigarette from her lab coat with the other.

Misato couldn't make sense of the raw data, but a clear percentage stood out.

"Fifteen percent?!" Ritsuko sighed, and smoke wafted clear of her mouth and diffused into the air, thick and grey.

"Yes. Astronomically higher than expected. She's just below the range for effective combat synchronization, but with a little bit of work, she'll be good to go. All while suffering amnesia. Either she has a remarkably strong will…"

"Or she's not an amnesiac." Ritsuko gave her a disapproving look.

"Yeah, I realized it as I was saying it." Misato said.

"Still, I need to run more tests. For now, the Children are free to go." She nodded, clicking on the microphone.

"Ok, you guys are all done. Good work, you two! We'll celebrate at home."

Ruby let out a loud yawn, stretching her arms.

"About time! I was getting really bored!" Shinji stayed quiet, as usual.

Misato couldn't help but smile. They were a sweet couple of kids._ Unfortunate how the fate of the world rested on their shoulders. They should be relaxing at home, worrying about getting dates or their next math test, not the survival of humanity._ The lab door hissed open, revealing Vice Commander Fuyutski.

"Sir." She said.

"Greetings everyone. How did the first synch test go?"

"Very well, actually. Shinji scored a forty-two percent, and Ruby a fifteen." Ritsuko said. The older man was taken aback.

"Fifteen percent?"  
>"It surprised me as well. The girl has potential. She can't pilot just yet, but she'll be there in no time." Fuyutski nodded.<p>

"That's good to hear. By the way, Misato, regarding the legal guardianship of Miss Rose…"

"Yes, sir?"

"The papers have been approved, but HR wants her to stay in Nerv HQ for the next few days, to observe her condition." Misato figured something like this would happen. She couldn't blame them though, and it wasn't unreasonable.

She met with the Third and Fourth Child after they had showered and changed into their regular clothes. Ruby was chatting excitedly with Corporal Hikijira about guns or something. Shinji had his ear buds in. Shocker.

"Ruby, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure!" She bounced over to Misato, smiling wide.

"Hey kiddo. I'm sorry, but I got some bad news." Her face fell, fear flashing briefly in her silver eyes. Misato waved her worries off.

"Don't worry, nothing too bad! I'm afraid I can't take you home just yet. Some issues with HR. The papers went through though, so it'll happen eventually." Ruby shrugged, fear vanishing.

"Ah, oh well. Not much you can do…bureaucracies and whatnot." Misato giggled.

"True. But some good news too. Your synch ratio was really good! In fact, by the time Unit Zero is ready for activation, you'll be ready to pilot." Ruby let out an elated whoop, throwing a fist into the air.

"Aw, yes! I'm gonna be a EVA pilot! This is so cool!" She threw her arms around Misato, who let out an 'oomf' from the sudden gesture. "You rock, Misato."

"You too, sweetie. You too."

Shinji watched the exchange in silence.

* * *

><p>Gendo's fingers rested in their usual place, elbows propped on the table before him. His orange-tinted glasses hid his eyes as they scanned the Human Instrumentality Committee.<p>

"This is much too soon, Ikari." Keel rumbled, his visor turning to face Gendo. "The Dead Sea Scrolls say nothing of the Fourth Child appearing so soon. This is troubling news."

"Indeed." The Russian committee member said, leaning forward. "It casts the validity of our interpretations into doubt. Troubling is putting it mildly."

"We've already spoken to you about your mishandling of the Third Angel!" The British representative cried. "You would do well to keep this girl in check."

"Time… money… manpower." The American member growled. Gendo scoffed. The Americans were always afflicted with pettiness. The Angels have arrived, and they still whined and complained about resources.

"You worry yourselves over a technicality." Gendo began, holding a hand up when the British man threatened to interrupt him. "The Fourth Child's arrival is nothing but advantageous. Nerv is now better equipped to defeat the Angels."

"What of the First Child? Was she not adequate?"

"She has her purpose. With the completion of Evangelion Unit Three, she can resume her piloting duties, should the need arise."

"And Human Instrumentality?" Keel asked, leaning forward.

"It remains my primary concern." Gendo said, his voice frozen over like black ice. "However, the real reason this Council was summoned remains unaddressed."

"Adam." Keel said, nodding.

"The rumors are true then?" The French member said. "It has finally surfaced?"

"Indeed. It appears as though the Angels are not our only obstacle. Some fringe Apocrypha indicated such trials must be overcome before Human Instrumentality is to occur."  
>"Should they prove a threat?" the Russian councilor asked. "It is hard to imagine humans would stand in the way of their own salvation."<p>

"They will not." Gendo said, turning his gaze upon the man. "I'll put Mr. Kaji on the case immediately."

"Can he be trusted?" Keel said.

"Implicitly."

"I would prefer a special forces team to retrieve the package." The American again.

"His Holiness – and the world at large – would not react well to U.N. forces storming the Vatican. Such an operation could induce doubt and bring unwanted attention to our efforts." Gendo countered. "One man is more than enough to retrieve it."

"Very well." Keel said. "Although, if he should fail, more drastic measures will be required."

"Of course, Chairman. But it will not come to that. You have my solemn word… Adam will be recovered in short order."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I smell shenanigans. This is the part where I remind you that the world of Evangelion is not a 1-for-1 copy of the TV show/Rebuilds with added Ruby. I have some OC stuff in here, and it's gonna shake things up pretty considerably. Don't worry though, everything will remain true to the spirit of the original.**

**And some minor adjustments... like Misato not bitching about being poor, because honestly, the fact that she did in the original story was kind of bullshit haha**

**Thanks for giving it a read! Let me know what you thought! I love getting your guys' feedback.**

**Review Replies: **

**DMAN19922: Thanks so much! I know how Rei and Ruby are going to get along, but I can't wait until Asuka gets thrown into the mix. I honestly have no idea what's going to happen until they're placed in a scene together. I'm excited to find out!**

**King of Bad Naming Sense: Well, I don't think a lot of culture disappeared (as I showed above), and would actually imagine a lot of effort being put into saving pre-Second Impact stuff. **

**RoboVolcano4: Shinji and Ruby start bouncing off each other a lot more in the coming chapters, and it's a lot of fun to read! I hope you'll like it too! And no hints on pairings yet! :3**

**keeper of all lore: Thanks! Hopefully I answered a few of your questions here, but Ruby piloting will certainly be interesting!**

**iyaoyas: Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the chapter! I tried to fix my gaff a little, I called them "mufflers" instead. (Hopefully that's adequate) Glad to hear you're enjoying the story so far!**

**Next Chapter Preview! (Cue 30-Second Preview Music!)**

**Ruby and Shinji go to school, and get a bit more than they bargained for! The Fourth Angel attacks Tokyo-3! Will Shinji or Ruby be strong enough to defeat it?!**

**Find out next time!**


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